1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photoelectric conversion device and a photodetector apparatus having the photoelectric conversion device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a photoelectric conversion device having improved photoelectric conversion efficiency and a photodetector apparatus having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A photoelectric conversion device includes a semiconductor layer which absorbs light energy and thereafter performs a photoelectric conversion process to thereby convert the light energy into electrical energy. An efficiency of the photoelectric conversion process of the photoelectric conversion device is a function of an amount of current generated by the photoelectric conversion device as compared to an amount of light applied to the photoelectric conversion device.
A photodetector apparatus includes a plurality of the photoelectric conversion devices, each of which outputs an electrical signal corresponding to light applied thereto, and the photodetector apparatus uses the electrical signal from each of the photoelectric conversion devices to measure an amount of the light. When the photodetector apparatus is used as a medical diagnostic apparatus, for example, the photodetector apparatus typically further includes a scintillator array which converts an x-ray to a light having a wavelength which corresponds to a visible light.
A photodetecting efficiency of the photodetector apparatus depends on a light-conversion efficiency of the scintillator array and a photoelectric conversion efficiency of the photoelectric conversion device. Further, the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the photoelectric conversion device is determined based on both a light-absorbing efficiency and a light-conversion efficiency of the photoelectric conversion device.